Automated user notification system

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides an automated user notification system for monitoring user items and notifying a user when selected conditions occur. A first portion of the notification system comprises a network operations center (NOC). The NOC stores user information about one or more user items and is further coupled to a plurality of communication devices that can automatically contact a user. A second portion of the notification system comprises at least one detector. The detector monitors one or more user items and provides information regarding selected conditions of the user items to the NOC via a communication link. When the information is received by the NOC, the NOC automatically matches the received information to information stored at the NOC to determine if a condition exist wherein the user should be automatically notified.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 09/347,389, filed Jul. 6, 1999 which is incorporated byreference herein for all purposes.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to notification systems, and moreparticularly, to an automated monitoring system for providing usernotification and control of user items.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Virtually every item used in daily life incorporates new technology inone form or another. From the simplest consumer products to the mostcomplicated communication systems, new technology provides increasedfunctionality, speed, ease of use and cost efficiency. It is nowpossible to program home appliances to operate on their own,automatically record television broadcasts or record phone messages whenno one is home.

However, even with the most recent improvements in technology, to assureproper operation, people must still personally program and periodicallymonitor their new equipment. For example, to record a series of futurevideo broadcasts on a video recorder, a person must first program thevideo recorder with the correct dates and times of the broadcasts. Afterthe programming is complete, the video recorder must be periodicallychecked to assure proper operation. For example, the user periodicallydetermines that enough recording tape is available, that no jams existor that the program was not inadvertently erased. Provided the recorderwas properly programmed and monitored, the video recorder will recordthe future broadcasts for later viewing. Thus, new technology hasimproved people's lives by providing the capability to do something,such as to record future video broadcasts, that at one time was notpossible. However, as seen in this simple example, with the benefit ofnew technology comes a corresponding requirement for people to learn andkeep up to date with the latest technological improvements.

In certain circumstances, a user can subscribe to a centralizedmonitoring service to assist with the operation and monitoring ofsophisticated systems. Home security services are just one example ofthe types of services that are available. Typically these servicesinstall and program security devices and have a centralized office,staffed around the clock, to monitor system operation. When a criticalsituation occurs, such as a burglary, the office staff can detect it andtake action to contact the home owner.

However, technology related services, like the security service, arevery expensive and can't provide all the flexibility and responsivenessusers are looking for. For example, if the homeowner knows of atemporary condition that may provide false information to the service,such as a broken window, it can be difficult to update centralizedservices with this information. This situation could lead to falsealarms because basic operating information is incorrect or there existssome confusion among the security staff. Additionally, it may beinconvenient or difficult for homeowners to update the service withfrequently changing contact information. As a result, even if properdetection of an alarm condition occurs, the homeowner cannot be located.

Another problem with centralized monitoring services is that theemployees of the service sometimes make mistakes. False alarms can occurwhen an employee misinterprets information provided by the system.Missed alarm conditions can occur if employees fail to properly monitorthe system. Even when alarm conditions are properly detected, anemployee may be slow to respond or may otherwise fail to takeappropriate action. Thus, existing monitoring services can beunreliable, miss alarm conditions, detect false alarms, fail to notifyusers and can be difficult to update with the most recent operatinginformation. As a result, people would greatly benefit from improvementsin notification systems which can overcome the above problems andprovide additional user controllable functionality.

One area where it would be desirable to have improved user notificationand control is in vehicle monitoring systems. Motor vehicles areattractive targets for theft and vandalism due to their high value andinherent mobility. The development of motor vehicles has been paralleledby the development of alarm systems to protect them. These alarm systemsrange from simple steering wheel locks to more sophisticated electronicalarm systems. Typically, vehicle alarms try to prevent unauthorizedaccess to the vehicle or removal of the vehicle without the owner'spermission.

A major drawback of many vehicle alarm systems is that the owner may notbe alerted to a possible theft until the vehicle has already been taken.Some audible alarm systems provide intrusion alerts to the areaimmediately surrounding the vehicle, however, the vehicle owner may notbe near enough to hear such alerts. In addition, the general public hasbecome so accustomed to hearing these warning sounds that the warningshave lost their effectiveness to deter theft.

Just as in home security systems, expensive centralized services toprovide vehicle security are available. In one such service, the ownermay report that a vehicle was stolen, at which point, the serviceactivates a location device in an attempt to locate the stolen vehicle.However, the service activation doesn't occur until the owner reportsthe vehicle as stolen thereby failing to provide real-time monitoringand control capability.

Although notification services, to monitor user items like homes andcars, provide improvements over simple audible alarms, they are allsubject to significant limitations. For example, all the problemsdiscussed above like information updating, operator errors and userinterface problems, exist with current notification services. The mostsignificant drawback is that notification services have human operatorsthat are slow and prone to make errors. For example, a monitoring staffemployee may be required to look up customer information and manuallycall any one of several telephone numbers, e.g., home number, worknumber, cell phone number or pager number to contact the customer. Thistask may require several minutes to carry out, and in the meantime, avehicle may be stolen or a home may be vandalized. This delay in anemergency situation is not tolerable. Moreover, a staffed operationscenter creates a significant cost factor since in addition to theexpense of the equipment, office employees are needed around the clock.This situation does not exhibit a positive economy of scale whenrequired to service an increasingly larger customer base.

All these factors combine to show that employee staffed notificationservices cannot provide a low cost, effective monitoring, notificationand control system for a large number of users. What is needed is alow-cost, fully automated notification and control system for providinginformation about user items. For example, vehicles, homes or officespaces may be examples of user items. The automated system should allowa user to control which specific events or conditions are to bemonitored. Indications of the selected conditions should beautomatically detected and notification sent to the user without theneed of specialized monitoring services usually performed by humanoperators. A variety of notification devices, such as telephone,facsimile, pager and email should be available to allow users thegreatest flexibility when using the system. There should also be useraccess to the system that allows the user to control and updatemonitored events, alarm conditions, user notification devices, andcontact information.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an automated user notification system formonitoring user items and notifying a user when selected conditionsoccur. A first portion of the notification system comprises a networkoperations center (NOC). The NOC stores user information about one ormore user items and is further coupled to a plurality of communicationdevices that can automatically contact a user. A second portion of thenotification system comprises at least one detector. The detectormonitors one or more user items and provides information regardingselected conditions of the user items to the NOC via a communicationlink. When the information is received by the NOC, the NOC automaticallymatches the received information to information stored at the NOC todetermine if a condition exists wherein the user should be automaticallynotified.

In one embodiment of the invention, a user notification system isprovided for automatically providing information to a user regarding auser item. The user notification system comprises a detection modulecoupled to the user item to determine information about the user item. Afirst communication module is coupled to the detection module whichincludes logic for communicating the information over a communicationlink. The information is received by a second communication module thatincludes logic for receiving the information over the communicationlink. A processor is coupled to the second communication module iscoupled to at least one user notification device.

In another embodiment of the invention, the user notification systemcomprises a vehicle alarm system. The vehicle alarm system detectsintrusion or attempted burglary of the vehicle and provides immediatenotification to the vehicle owner if such a condition exists. The systemenables the owner to receive data from the vehicle concerning the causeof alarm actuation and to determine vehicle location, status of airbagdeployment, and other vehicle parameters. In addition, the systemenables the owner to remotely arm or disarm the vehicle alarm, lock orunlock the vehicle doors, start or stop the vehicle engine, and similarcontrol functions.

In another embodiment of the invention, the user notification systemcomprises a home alarm system that detects emergency conditions,intrusion or burglary of a user's home. The notification system providesimmediate notification to the user of the selected conditions of theuser's home. For example, the status of door sensors, window sensors,smoke detectors, fire and flood sensors are detected and any abnormalcondition results in immediate notification to the home owner. Thesystem enables the owner to receive status information about anymonitored condition through a variety of interfaces such as over thetelephone or over a public information network such as the Internet. Inaddition, the system enables the owner to remotely arm or disarmselected alarm conditions, and active or deactivate home systems such asheating or hot water systems.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram of an embodiment of an automated user notificationsystem 100 in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of an operational portion of theuser notification system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a detailed block diagram of the NOC 102 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a detailed diagram of the detector 104 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram which shows a method of operating the automateduser notification system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a detailed diagram of an embodiment of the present inventionused to monitor conditions of a user vehicle;

FIG. 7 is a list of detectable conditions in a vehicle monitoringembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 shows an item database for use with a vehicle monitoringembodiment of the present invention; and

FIGS. 9A-9E illustrate web pages available for user interaction via theInternet.

DESCRIPTION OF THE SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 is a diagram of an embodiment of an automated user notificationsystem 100 constructed in accordance with the present invention. Theuser notification system 100 comprises a network operations center (NOC)102 and user detectors 104, 106, 108 and 110. The NOC 102 comprises aprocessor 112, a subscriber database 114, a user interface 116, anotification interface 117 and a communication interface 118.

The NOC 102 uses the communication interface 118 to communicate overcommunication channels 120, 122, 124 and 126 with the user detectors104, 106, 108 and 110, respectively. The communication channels may beformed of wireless or wired communication channels. For example, one ormore of the communication channels may comprise a hardwired channelwhich directly connects a selected detector with the NOC, such as shownby communication channel 126. Although communication channels 120, 122and 126 depict bidirectional communication between their respectivedetectors and the NOC, it is possible that a selected communicationchannel provides only one-way communication to accommodate lesssophisticated detectors as illustrated by unidirectional communicationchannel 124.

As noted, the present invention can utilize both wireless and wiredcommunication channels. For example, in at least one embodiment thesystem uses the control channel of the AMPS analog cellular phone systemfor the communication of data between the remote device and the NOC.Alternative wireless communication systems include the GSM cell phonesystem which supports SMS (i.e., short message service) for thebidirectional delivery of data; the Mobitex data message delivery systemoffered in the Erricson and Bell South systems; the Richochet brand ofdata transceivers offered by Metricom; and other cellular systemssupporting such formats as the CDPD standard of wireless messaging.Satellite based wireless systems such as the ORBCOM system by OrbitalSciences Corporation can also be used to link the remote device to theNOC. Wired communication channels include analog phone lines, ISDN phonelines, T1 phone lines, and DSL phone lines. An alternate to any of thepublic carrier systems is a private data network.

The notification interface 117 provides for programmable interactionwith notification devices such as electronic mail (i.e., e-mail),facsimile, pager and standard telephone devices. The notificationdevices also include connections to public data networks, such as theInternet (not shown). The NOC 102 uses the notification devices tonotify users upon detection of specific conditions of user items.

The user interface 116 provides telephone and Internet devices for useby users of the automated system 100. The user interface 116 allowsusers to access and control the operation of the NOC 102. For example, auser may obtain status information about a user item or may enable anddisable controllable features of the user item or the automated system100 by accessing the system through the user interface 116.

FIG. 2 show a functional block diagram of an operational portion 200 ofthe user notification system 100 constructed in accordance with thepresent invention. The operational portion 200 comprises the NOC 102 andthe detector 104. Information flows between the NOC 102 and the detector104 via the communications link 120. The communications link 120comprises a wireless communications link to form a bidirectionalcommunication channel between the NOC 102 and the detector 104. Thewireless communication link 120 may comprise a cellular link, such asused in cellular phone technology, or may comprise any other type ofwireless link.

The detector 104 couples to systems and operational elements of the useritem to allow monitoring and control of selected conditions andfunctions applicable to that user item. The detector 104 adapts tocouple directly to elements of the user item. For example, if the useritem is a vehicle, one of the detected conditions can be the state ofthe vehicle's ignition switch. The detector 104 also adapts to couple toexisting alarm system components. For example, if older or lesssophisticated alarm system components are mounted to the user item, thedetector 104 adapts to couple to, and operate with, these components.This allows the present invention to utilize existing hardware toprovide notification and control features that are unavailable in othersystems.

The detector 104 comprises a local interface module 202, a detectionmodule 204, a control module 206 and a communications module 208. Thedetector's 104 versatile design allows coupling to a variety of useritems. For example, the detector 104 could be coupled to a user vehicle,a home, office space or even personal items like a personal computer.

The local interface module 202 is coupled to the control module 206. Thelocal interface module 202 comprises user I/O devices such as a keypad,a visual display, visual indicators and/or audible indicators (notshown). The user interacts with the detector 104 by using the I/Odevices, however, as will be shown, the user can also interact with thedetector 104 via the NOC 102. By using the I/O devices, the user canmanually input information to control the operation of the detector 104,such as enabling or disabling monitoring functions. The local interfacemodule 202 also provides a way for the user to remotely access functionsof the NOC 102 via the communication link 120.

The detection module 204 is coupled to the control module 206. Thedetection module 204 is also coupled to the user item (not shown) todetect a selected condition of the user item. For example, in a vehiclemonitoring application, the detection module 204 may detect the state ofthe vehicle's ignition switch, door locks, transmission or tachometer.The detection module 204 provides information about the detectedconditions to the control module 206. The detection module 204 may alsocouple to currently installed alarm system components of older and lesssophisticated systems. This allows the present invention to utilizeexisting hardware, to reduce costs, while providing notification andcontrol features previously unavailable.

The control module 206 is coupled to the detection module 204, the localinterface module 202 and the communication module 208. The controlmodule 206 controls the overall operation of the detector 104. Thecontrol module 206 uses parameters received from the communicationsmodule 208 or the local interface module 202, to perform variousfunctions, such as configuring the detector 104. The control module 206receives conditions detected by the detection module 206 and determineswhat action the detector 104 should take. In one situation, the controlmodule 206 may simply transmit the detected conditions to the NOC 102via the communications module 208. In another situation, the controlmodule uses the detected conditions to control operation of the useritem, such as disabling the vehicle's ignition switch. In thissituation, local control of the user item occurs without interactionwith the NOC 102. More detail concerning detect conditions in a vehiclemonitoring embodiment are discussed in a later section and withreference to FIG. 7.

The communications module 208 is coupled to the control module 206 andthe communications link 120. The communications module 208 comprises atransceiver (not shown) to transmit and receive information over thecommunication link 120. Information received by the communication module208 over the communication link 120 is directed to the control module206 to be processed. Processed information from the control module 206is received by the communications module 208 for transmission over thecommunication link 120. To accommodate hardwired and wirelesscommunication links, the communications module 208 uses an appropriatetransceiver (not shown). For example, if the communication link 120 is awireless link using cellular telephony technology, the communicationmodule 208 uses a cellular transceiver. Thus, the communication module208 adapts to operate with any type of link allowing information to flowbetween the NOC 102 and the detector 104.

The NOC 102 comprises a communications module 210, a processor module212, a notification I/F module 214 and a user I/F module 216. The NOC102 provides fully automated user notification based on a determinationof selected conditions. The selected conditions may be conditionsdetected by the detector 104 or may be conditions relating to theoperation of the NOC 102. Depending on the type of communication linkused, the NOC may be located a great distances from the detector 104 andstill provide all the required functionality. For example, using acellular transmission link, the NOC 102 and the detector 104 may belocated virtually anywhere cellular service is available.

The communications module 210 is coupled to the processor module 212 andthe communications link 120. The communication module 210 comprises atransceiver (not shown) that sends and receives transmissions over thecommunications link 120. The communications module 210 of the NOC 102communicates with all the detectors, namely, 104, 106, 108 and 110, ofthe notification system 100 regardless of the type of communication linkused with each detector. For example, detector 104 uses a wirelesscommunication link and detector 110 uses a hardwired communication link.Thus, the communication module 21 0 provides the capability tocommunicate with a number of detectors utilizing different communicationtechnologies.

The processor module 212 is coupled to the communication module 210, thenotification I/F module 214 and the user I/F module 216. The processormodule 212 processes information received from the detector 104 via thecommunication module 210 to determine if user notification is required.The processor module 212 comprises storage for pre-stored informationrelative to all the user items being monitored. The processor module 212uses the pre-stored information to remotely program detectors, controldetector operation and to determine when automatic user notification isrequired by comparing or matching received information from thedetectors to the pre-stored information. The storage also contains usercontact information and system operating parameters.

The notification I/F module 214 is coupled to the processor 212 andcomprises a number of user notification devices (not shown). Based oninstructions received from the processor 212, the notification I/Fmodule 214 uses the notification devices to automatically notify theusers of selected conditions regarding user items.

The user I/F module 216 is coupled to the processor module 212 andcomprises interactive devices such as a standard telephone device or anInternet device (not shown). The telephone device comprises an automatedsystem that allows users to interact with the NOC 102 to provide userinformation and control. The Internet device has associated web pagesthat allow the user to interact with the NOC 102 over an Internetconnection. By using the interactive devices, the user can controloperation of the automated system 100, update contact information,change the status of detector modules, change the operating conditionsof the user items being monitored or receive status information aboutspecific user items. Interaction between the user and the automatedsystem 100 via the user I/F module 216 is completely automated so thatno human operator or customer service personnel is required. Theinteractive devices allow the user to remotely control selectedfunctions of the automated system 100 and the user item, such asremotely disabling an audible alarm or to remotely lock the vehicle doorlocks. A more detailed description of the associated web pages isprovided in a later section and with reference to FIGS. 9A-9E.

FIG. 3 illustrates a detailed diagram 300 of the NOC 102. Comprising theNOC 102 are the communication module 210, the processor module 212, thenotification I/F module 214 and the user I/F module 216. Additionallythe NOC 102 may comprise a billing module 302. The NOC 102 is coupled toa cellular service provider 304 which provides the wirelesscommunication link 120 to the detector 104 (not shown). However, the NOC102 may be coupled to other types of wireless or hardwired serviceproviders.

The processor module 212 comprises the processor 112 and the subscriberdatabase 114. The subscriber database 114 stores information regardinguser items, specific monitored conditions, user contact information andother operating parameters. The processor 112 receives information aboutthe status of user items from the communication module 210. Thecommunication module 210 interfaces with the cellular service provider304 so that information flows between the detector 104 (not shown) andthe NOC 102 using the cellular link 120 provided by the cellular serviceprovider 304.

When the processor 112 detects a specific condition about the user item,such as an alarm condition, the processor 112 sends instructions to thenotification I/F module 214. The instructions alert the notificationmodule 214 to notify the user about an existing alarm condition. Thenotification module 214 comprises a notification processor 310 coupledto a plurality of notification devices 314. User contact information isretrieved from the subscriber database 114 and one or more of thenotification devices are activated to contact the user.

Once the user has been contacted by the notification I/F module 214several courses of action are possible. The user may contact the NOC 102by telephone 316 wherein contact is made via the user I/F module 216.The user I/F module 216 comprises an interactive processor 318 whichforms an automated system to accept user queries and commands, so thatthe user may obtain additional information about the recent alarmcondition or control features and functions of the system. Theinteractive processor 318 interfaces with the processor 112 so that anyinformation available about the status of the user item, stored at theprocessor 112, may be retrieved by the interactive processor 318 foraccess by the user. At any time the user may contact the NOC 102 via theuser I/F module to control the operation of the NOC 102 or updateinformation parameters. For example, the user may call the NOC 102 bytelephone to interact with the user I/F module to enable monitoring ofthe user's vehicle. Alternatively, the use may contact the NOC 102 viathe Internet using the associated Web pages to control operation of thesystem or access information parameters.

After obtaining the status of the user item the user may provide controlinstructions to the NOC 102 as to how to handle the existing condition.For example, if the user item is a vehicle that has been placed inoperation without the user's consent, the user may instruct the NOC 102to track the vehicle. Alternatively, the user may instruct the NOC 102to disable the vehicle or to activate the vehicle's audible alarm.

The user may also update information about the user item and/or thecontact information via the interactive processor 318. When user contactor user item information is changed, the interactive processor 318communicates the new information to the subscriber database 114 via theprocessor 112. Thus the user may interact with the NOC 102 via an easyand convenient interface to provide control instructions, receive statusinformation or change user parameters or contact information.Additionally, the user may contact the interactive processor 318 via acomputer 320 connected to a public information network such as theInternet. All the capabilities of the interactive processor 318 areavailable to the computer 320 utilizing the public network connection.

As an option to the NOC 102, the billing module 302 includes a billingprocessor 322 to bill the user for services provided by the automatedsystem 100. Billing may be based on usage, resource utilization, numberof contacts in a given period or other measurable billing criteria. Thebilling processor 322 accesses user information on the subscriberdatabase 114 via the processor 112. Billing may be accomplished in anyconvenient form and as an example, a credit card merchant process 334allows services to be billed to the user's credit card on a monthlybasis.

FIG. 4 illustrates a detailed diagram 400 of the detector 104. Thedetector 104 comprises the communication module 208, the control module206, the detection module 204 and the local interface module 202. Alsoshown in FIG. 4 is a user item 402 which in FIG. 4 is a vehicle butcould also be a home, office space or other user item.

The detection module 204 monitors selected parameters of the user item402. A set of detection lines 404 couple the detection module 204 to theuser item 402 and provide information to the detection module 204 aboutthe selected parameters. For example, one of the selected parameters maybe the state of the vehicle's ignition switch. When one of the detectionlines 404 is coupled to the ignition switch, the detection module 204 isable to detect the ignition switch state.

In another method of obtaining information about a user vehicle, thedetection lines 404 connect to existing alarm system components (notshown) from older and less sophisticated alarm systems. These componentsmay already monitor conditions of the user vehicle that are identical torequirements of the present invention. By utilizing existing detectioncomponents system costs are reduced while still providing thenotification and control features of the present invention. For example,the detection module 204 adapts to couple to an older system componentthat monitors the state of the vehicle's ignition switch. Thiseliminates the need for new detection hardware, thereby saving cost,while still providing the ignition switch information for processing bythe present invention.

In another method of obtaining information about a user vehicle, thedetection lines 404 connect to an Intelligent Data Bus (IDB) 408installed in the vehicle. The IDB 408 is a peer to peer data networkavailable for use in automotive devices and other ground vehicles. TheIDB 408 has access to important vehicle systems, such as the vehicle'selectrical system and components, and connecting to it provides thedetection module 204 with access to these systems.

In another method of obtaining information about a user vehicle, thedetection lines 404 connect to an On-Board Diagnostic (OBD) system 410.The OBD 410 system provides a means to control engine functions anddiagnose engine problems. By connecting to the OBD 410 system, thedetection module 204 has access to such vehicle parameters as engineoperating parameters, emission parameters, chassis and accessorydevices.

In another method of obtaining information about a user vehicle, thedetection module 204 has plug-in serial and parallel ports to accept avariety of plug-in devices. By providing a wide range of detectioninterfaces, such as serial and parallel ports or twisted pair wiring,the detection module 204 allows the detector 104 to connect to, anddetect conditions of, a user vehicle or virtually any user item.

In at least one embodiment of the invention, a Global Positioning System(GPS) module 406 is coupled to detection module 204. The protocol forthe information sent from the remote location to NOC 102 includes theGPS location coordinates received from the GPS receiver. Typically thesecoordinates are sent in a format using the National Marine ElectronicsAssociation or NMEA format.

The communication module 208 is coupled to the control module 206 andcomprises a transceiver (not shown) for transmitting and receivinginformation with the NOC 102 over the communication link 120. Thetransceiver may be a wireless transceiver that utilizes a radiocommunication link or the transceiver may be hardwired to the NOC 102.The transceiver receives information from the NOC 102 regardingparameters to be monitored, status information or other operatinginformation. The communication module 208 sends the received informationto the control module 206 for further processing. Any information to betransmitted to the NOC 102 by the communication module 208 will beprovided by the control module 206.

The control module 206 couples to the communication module 208, thedetector 204 and the local interface module 202. The control module 206comprises a controller 412 and an item database 414. The item database414 contains information about the user item to be monitored, statusinformation, operational parameters and other information for use by thecontroller 412 to perform the detector's 104 functions. A more detaileddescription of the item database 414 is provided in a later section andwith reference to FIG. 8.

The controller 412 receives information from the NOC 102 via thecommunication module 208 and responds by communicating with thedetection module 204 or the local interface module 202. For example, theNOC 102 may request that the detector 104 provide a status of the useritem 402. In response, the controller 412 obtains information about theuser item 402 from the detection module 204, displays the informationusing the local interface module 202 and transmits the information tothe NOC 102 via the communication module 208. Thus, all manner ofdetection functions can be accomplished remotely by the NOC 102. Inanother method of operation, the controller 412 receives informationfrom the detection module 204, and in response, the controller 412commands the detection module 204 to disable one or more of the useritem's resources. This demonstrates local control of the user item bythe controller 412. In a similar fashion, instructions for control ofthe user item may also be received from the NOC 102.

The local interface module 202 couples to the control module 206 and maycomprise a text or graphic display 416, a keypad (not shown) or useroperable switches 418 and indicator lights 420. The local interfacemodule 202 provides the user a way to locally interact with the detector104, so that control of the user item and display of status informationcan be performed. Additionally, the local interface module 202 allowsthe user to interact with the NOC 102 by, for example, locally enteringuser item 402 parameters and transmitting the parameters via the controlmodule 206 and communication modules 208 to the NOC 102.

FIG. 5 shows a block diagram illustrating a method 500 of operation ofthe embodiment of the user notification system 100 of FIG. 1. The methodbegins at block 502 wherein one or more detector modules are coupled tothe user items to be monitored. The items to be monitored may be auser's vehicle, home, office or even smaller items such as a homecomputer or residential safe.

At block 504 a user registration process occurs wherein informationabout the user and the user items is input into the database 114 of theNOC 102. The information comprises detector parameters regarding thetype of detectors used and how they are coupled to the user item, userparameters regarding the user items, and user contact information. Otherinformation may be entered into the database 114 to facilitate otherfunctions, such as invoicing. After the registration process iscompleted, the user notification system 100 is activated.

At block 506, the user notification system 100 monitors the user itemsfor one or more conditions as specified in the registration process. Atblock 508, the notification system routinely checks for new userinformation. For example, the user may activate or deactivate themonitoring process or may update user item status by providing newinformation concerning a user item, such as, a window is broken but thesystem is to ignore this condition. By periodically checking for newuser information the notification system 100 adapts to changingconditions of either the user items or the user's requirements.

At block 510, the notification system 100 checks for detection ofselected monitored conditions of the user items. The detector mayperiodically transmit status information to the NOC 102 or the NOC 102may periodically poll the detector to determine the status of themonitored conditions. If none of the monitored conditions exists, thenoperation of the system proceeds along path 512 to block 506 wheremonitoring of the user item continues. If a selected monitored conditionexists, such as activation of the vehicle's ignition system, thenoperation of the system proceeds along path 514 to block 516 where thenext action will be determined.

At block 516 the detected conditions are analyzed with regard toinformation in the database to determine what action the notificationsystem 100 will take. In response one (R1) no action is taken. Thisresponse may occur in situations such as in the broken window exampleabove. In this situation the processing of the notification system 100returns to block 506 to continue to monitor the user items.

Another action that may be taken by the notification system 100 isresponse two (R2). R2 is an automatic response to the detectedcondition. At block 518 the automatic response is determined. Theautomatic response may be something as simple as the NOC 102 loggingthat the condition has occurred or may entail the NOC 102 directing thedetector 104 to take some other action, such as reporting to the NOCanother condition, like a current position of the user item. Theautomatic response may also comprise the NOC 102 commanding the detector104 to take affirmative action, such as disabling the user item fromfurther operation or activating an alarm indicator. At the completion ofthe automatic response R2, the operation of the notification system 100returns to block 506 to continue to monitor the user items.

Another action that may be taken by the notification system 100 isresponse three (R3). R3 results in an automatic user notification inresponse to the detected condition. At block 520, the automatic usernotification is performed. The NOC 102 uses the information in thedatabase 114 to determine how to contact the user. Attempts to contactthe user are made by using the notification devices 314 of the userinterface 116. The notification is fully automated, wherein the user isnotified with information about the detected condition. If done viatelephone, an interactive automated system, such as a voice recognitionsystem or a touch tone system, is used so that once contacted, the usermay obtain additional information about the user item. Once notified, bypager for instance, the user may use the interactive system to issuecontrol commands to the NOC 102. For example, the user may command theNOC 102 to disable the user item or to contact the authorities andprovide them with location information of the user item. At thecompletion of the automatic response at block 520, the operation of thenotification system 100 returns to block 506 to continue to monitor theuser item.

Although one specific method of operation has been provided it will beapparent to those with skill in the art that the responses R1-R3described with reference to FIG. 5 can be combined and/or re-orderedwithout deviating from the scope of the present invention and that otherresponses using other capabilities of the system are possible.

FIG. 6 shows a detailed embodiment 600 of the present invention used tomonitor conditions of a user's vehicle. Embodiment 600 comprises a NOC602 and a detector 604.

The NOC 602 comprises a number of processors and servers to performvarious processing functions and user interface functions. Acommunication server 606 is shown coupled to a dedicated T-1 line 608which is further coupled to a cellular control channel service provider610. The cellular control channel service provider 610 provides accessto a cellular control channel network 612. The communication server 606communicates with the detector 604 over a communications link 614 whichis part of the cellular control channel network 612.

The NOC 602 also comprises a subscriber database 616 used to storeoperating parameters, vehicle information, and user contact information.A billing processor 618 coupled to the subscriber database 616 generateinvoices to users based on services rendered by the NOC. For example, adaily fee may be billed. The billing processor has access to a creditcard process 620 to directly bill the user's credit card account,however, other types of billing processes, such as simply sendinginvoices directly to users, are possible.

The communication server 606 is coupled to an email server 622 so thatthe communication server 606 can notify users of detected conditionsusing an email process 624 or a pager service 626. The communicationserver 606 is also coupled to a Fax server 628 and a phone server 630that are in turn coupled to a T1 interface 632 so that the communicationserver 606 can contact users with standard Fax 634 and telephone 636services, or optionally, direct access to the pager service 626.

A Web server 638 provides users a way to interact with the NOC 602 usinga standard computer 640 connected to the Internet. The Web server 638 iscoupled to the billing system 618, the subscriber database 616 and thecommunication server 606. Using the connection to the Web server 638,users can control operation of the system, update operating parametersof the user item, change contact information or review user item status.Coupling the billing system 618 to the Web server 638 provides a way toinvoice users for services rendered by the NOC 602.

An intelligent voice recognition (IVR) server 642 is coupled to the Webserver 638 so that users may interact with the NOC using a standardtelephone 644. The IVR 642 comprises a fully automated voice system thatprovides users access to all the NOC 602 capability in a similar fashionto the Web access available to the computer 640. Thus, the NOC 602provides a fully functional control and notification system that canautomatically notify users via one or more notification devices and alsoprovide users at least two methods of interaction wherein systemoperation can be controlled or monitored.

The detector 604 is mounted to the user's vehicle to monitor variousconditions of the vehicle. For example, monitoring the state of theignition switch, door locks, and windows will provide information todetermine if the vehicle is being stolen or vandalized. Monitoring otherstates of the vehicle, such as if the airbags have been deployed,provides information to determine if the vehicle has been in anaccident. The detector 604 comprises a processor 646 to process vehicleinformation and a transceiver 648 that allows the detector 604 tocommunicate with the NOC 602.

Power to the detector 604 is provided by the vehicle's power system asshown at 650 but may also be supplied via a separate battery independentof the vehicle's power system. A local interface module 652 is connectedto the processor 646 to allow user interaction with the detector 604.The local interface module 652 can be remotely located from theprocessor 646 so that, for example, the processor 646 can be mounted inthe vehicle's trunk while the local interface module 652 is mounted inthe vehicle's passenger compartment. The local interface module 652 isconnected to the processor via a number of interface connections 654 sothat power and associated control and information signals may flowbetween the processor 646 and the local interface module 652. The localinterface module 652 comprises a display 656 which can display text orgraphic information to the user. The are also indicators 658 on thelocal interface module 652 to provide indications of basic conditions,such as the system is active or that a signal from the NOC 602 is beingreceived.

User input switches 660 provided on the local interface module 652 allowa user to enter local commands to the detector 604. For example, theuser may use the input switches 660 to enable and disable the audiblealarm feature. Alternatively, a keypad (not shown) could be provided bythe local interface module 652 thereby allowing the user to enter morecomplicated instructions to the detector 604. Additionally, commandsentered at the local interface module 652 may flow to the processor 646and be transmitted by the transceiver 648 to the NOC 602 thus providingthe user another way to interact with the NOC 602 to control theoperation of the system. In response to a command received from thedetector 604, the NOC 602 may transmit information back to the detector604 which can then be displayed by the local interface module 652.

A set of detector connections 662 monitor the vehicle's condition andconnect the processor 646 to various systems and devices 664 of theuser's vehicle. For example, the detector connections 662 may connectthe processor 646 to the vehicle's ignition switch, battery, door locks,transmission or safety features such as seat belt or air bag systems.This allows the processor 646 to determine operation and conditions ofthe vehicle while the detector 604 is activated. The processor 646 isfurther coupled to one or more control devices 666 by control lines 668.When the processor 646 detects one or more alarm conditions, theprocessor 646 uses the control devices 666 to respond to the condition.For example, if an attempt to steal the vehicle is detected, theprocessor 646 disables the vehicle ignition system by activating one ormore of the control devices 666 via the control lines 668. Additionally,other control devices such as audible or visual alarm devices may beactivated by the processor 646 to further protect the vehicle fromtheft.

The processor 646 has one or more interface ports 670 to connect toexternal devices 672 such as a GPS receiver or to other informationsystems, such as an IDB system or an ODB system. The processor 646interacts with the external devices and systems to obtain informationand transmit the information to the NOC 602. For example, positioninginformation in the form of latitude and longitude coordinates obtainedfrom the GPS receiver can be transmitted to the NOC 602. Once NOC 602receives the coordinates sent via the chosen transmission media, reversegeocoding utilizing map data bases can be used to extract the closeststreet address or intersection based on the received set of coordinates.The locational information can be retrieved by the user in a number ofways. For example, the location of the user's vehicle can be shown on aviewable map via the Web or a different medium. Alternately, if the useris communicating to the NOC via a telephone or other means whichprevents delivery of visual information, the street address or theclosest intersection obtained via reverse geocoding is delivered to theuser in a human intelligible audio speech format using a text to speechengine.

FIG. 7 shows a list 700 of detectable conditions in a vehicle monitoringembodiment of the present invention. Each condition 702 has anassociated ID numbers 704 that can be used to identify the respectivevehicle condition. The ID numbers 704 are used by both the NOC and thedetector to reference specific monitored conditions. It will be apparentthat the list is representative and not intended to show all possibleconditions that can be monitored by the embodiments of the presentinvention.

FIG. 8 shows an item database containing information used to configure adetector to interface with a user vehicle. A detector interface type 802is associated with a vehicle device 804. For example, the detector'sparallel port 806 is associated with a GPS tracking device 808. Many ofthe vehicle's devices are accessed via internal information systems,such as the Intelligent Data Bus (IDB) system. For example, informationabout the doors, windows, sunroof and truck can be obtained from the IDBsystem. The detector associates the item database 800 with thedetectable conditions list 700 so that the detector can access theappropriate device to determine selected conditions.

FIGS. 9A-9E illustrate web pages available for user interaction via theInternet. FIG. 9A illustrates a login page 900 where a user enters adevice number 902 of the monitored device and a special user passcode904 for security purposes. FIG. 9B illustrates a notification page 910,where a user can enter various contact information. For example,selection of a communication device 912, contact number 914 and message916 are possible. FIG. 9C illustrates a control page 920, where the usermay control various functions of the user item being monitored. Forexample, the doors may be locked or unlocked 922 or the windows may beplaced up or down 924.

FIG. 9D illustrates a tracking page 930, where the position of a vehiclemay be tracked. A map 932 of the region is shown together with anindicator 934 of the vehicle's position. FIG. 9E illustrates a billingpage 940, where the user may see charges that have accrued for theservices rendered by the automated system 100. For example, specificevents are shown at 942 along with an event type 944. The date 946 andthe time 948 the event occurred are also shown. The correspondingcharges 950 are also shown thereby providing the user with a detailedsummary of charges based on system usage.

It will be obvious to those of skill in the art that other web pages arepossible for use in interacting with users of the automated system 100without deviating from the scope of the present invention. For example,web pages which provide user support information or upgrade informationare also possible.

As will be understood by those familiar with the art, the presentinvention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing fromthe spirit or essential characteristics thereof. Accordingly, thedisclosures and descriptions herein are intended to be illustrative, butnot limiting, of the scope of the invention which is set forth in thefollowing claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of notifying a user of an occurrence ofan event associated with a user item, the method comprising the stepsof: receiving a set of notification instructions from the user by anautomatic network operations center, wherein said receiving step isperformed automatically without human intervention, and wherein said setof notification instructions are selected from the group consisting ofselection of at least one of a plurality of notification devices, saidplurality of notification devices coupled to said automatic networkoperations center, providing a notification sequence, and providing auser-defined notification message; storing said set of notificationinstructions with said automatic network operations center; detectingthe occurrence of the event; transmitting an indicator corresponding tothe occurrence of the event over a communication link; receiving saidindicator by said automatic network operations center over saidcommunication link; and automatically notifying the user of theoccurrence of the event with said automatic network operations center,wherein said automatic notification step is performed automatically andwithout human intervention in accordance with said set of notificationinstructions, and wherein said automatic notification step follows saidnotification sequence.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the eventcorresponds to a condition of the user item.
 3. The method of claim 2,wherein the user item is selected from the group consisting of vehicles,residential property, commercial property, and personal items.
 4. Themethod of claim 1, said detecting step further comprising the step ofpolling the user item.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein said detectingstep is automatic upon the occurrence of the event.
 6. The method ofclaim 1, wherein said set of notification instructions are received bythe automatic network operations center from the user via a publicinformation network interface.
 7. The method of claim 6, wherein saidpublic information network is the Internet.
 8. The method of claim 1,wherein said set of notification instructions are received by theautomatic network operations center from the user via a telephoneutilizing voice input, wherein said automatic network operations centerincludes a voice recognition system.
 9. The method of claim 1, whereinsaid set of notification instructions are received by the automaticnetwork operations center from the user via a telephone utilizing keypadinput.
 10. The method of claim 1, wherein said plurality of notificationdevices is selected from the group consisting of facsimile machines,telephones, pagers electronic mail, and a public information networkinterface.
 11. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one userdefined notification message is selected from the group consisting ofvocal messages and textual messages.
 12. The method of claim 1, whereinsaid communication link is selected from the group consisting ofwireless and wired systems.
 13. The method of claim 1, wherein saidcommunication link is selected from the group consisting of an AMPSanalog cellular phone system, a GSM cellular phone system, a cellularphone system supporting the SMS standard, a cellular phone systemsupporting the CDPD standard, a satellite based wireless system, ananalog phone wire based system, an ISDN phone line based system, a T1phone line based system, and a DSL phone line based system.
 14. Themethod of claim 1, said detecting step further comprising the step ofreceiving user item locational information from a GPS receiver with saidautomatic network operations center.
 15. The method of claim 1, saiddetecting step further comprising the step of receiving eventinformation from an IDB system with said automatic network operationscenter.
 16. The method of claim 1, said detecting step furthercomprising the step of receiving event information from an ODB systemwith said automatic network operations center.
 17. The method of claim1, wherein said automatic notification step is further comprised of thestep of providing a user item location.
 18. The method of claim 1,wherein said detecting step further comprises the step of receiving useritem locational information from a GPS receiver with said automaticnetwork operations center, and wherein said automatic notification stepfurther comprises the steps of providing an approximate location of saiduser item via telephone using a voice synthesizer based on said receiveduser item locational information.
 19. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising the step of automatically performing an action to the useritem in response to the occurrence of the event, wherein said step ofautomatically performing said action is controlled by said automaticnetwork operations.